The rims on my 2005 Sienna are developing substantial rust blisters under the paint, is anyone else experiencing this out there? Think toyota would warranty something like that to repair or replace? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I know your post is old, but was curious if you see this if you got satisfaction from Toyota on your rims. If nothing else, I'd like others to know of Toyota's poor customer satisfaction and fact that they won't stand by their warranty. I recognized the same problem on my 2005 XLE AWD. Within 1 1/2 yrs from purchase, the paint on the aluminum rims began to bubble up. The dealer wouldn't do anything for me, even though I found postings and pictures of others on the web that dated to 2004. I had the dealer have the zone rep look at them. His offer was ridiculous - if I bought two rims for $912, he'd give me two free. The rims now look awful. I refinishing place I contacted told me they get Toyota and Lexus rims in frequently for this. Toyota knows they have a problem but is not willing to do anything. Very disappointed in my first Toyota.
This is not an isolated incident. I had this exact same condition occur on the alloy wheels of my 2006 Siena after only 11 months in service. I was told by Toyota that it was an "owner maintenance issue". When I asked for a clarification, they eventually told me that the failure occurred due to an accumulation of road grime and brake dust on the wheel surface. In essence, they told me that I didn’t wash my car often enough. When I told them that it was a company car and that I washed it every 1-2 weeks religiously, they were unable to respond. When I asked them to explain how it was possible that they could be blaming a customer for a clear product defect (paint blistering as a result of a contaminant on the wheel surface prior to painting), they were unable to respond. When I asked why their wheels weren’t designed to withstand the same harsh road environment that their competitors did, they were unable to respond. When I commented that if their wheels were that sensitive to the harsh environment they’re place in, they MUST have published special care instructions intended to help their owners avoid just such a failure, they weren’t able to provide me with anything. They eventually dismissed by claim by telling me that this was not a chronic problem within their warranty system and that my failure must have had something to do with how I used my vehicle. As a result of this unbelievably stupid denial on their part, I followed-up with a scathing 3-page letter addressed to their corporate ‘customer care’ people. It went nowhere.
Saw your response. I am still furious at the treatment Toyota has given me. The accusation that you were not cleaning the rims frequently enough is the same one the zone rep used on us. The zone rep for this area is named Shawn G. on my ticket. The accusation that we are not cleaning these frequently or properly is what I have seen from several postings of folks from MI that have seen this problem, so I assume this is Shawn G.'s standard, ignorant response. I do program management in the auto sector as well as have a history of working in car dealerships in earlier years and understand a bit about paint processes and corrossion prevention. All corrossion on these rims is initiated at the sharp inner angles of the rim insets, where paint is least likely to adhere to, and then makes its way into the parent area of the rim. This is a manufacturing process defect - plain and simple. Even when I worked at a GM dealership in the late '70's when they were king and could do what they wanted, GM honored the warranties and provided new rims to customers without question when the chrome was peeling off of some of their Buick line rims. I hope Shawn G. sees these postings. I want him to know that it is because of him this is the last Toyota I will purchase and Toyota has lost a future customer.
Shawn G. is the same rep that denied my claim (over the phone and without ever seeing my vehicle). I did end up speaking with a regional guy (who's name and number I can dig up if you like) who was a bit more understanding. However, he never did come through with anything and alleged that Toyota had virtually NO claims in their system for this problem. However, he was unable to explain to me whether or not the Toyota warranty system logs the claims even if they aren't honored. I suspect not, which means that their warranty claim data would not fully represent the true condition in the field. Regardless, I ended-up buying a Chrysler T&C for my wife and new son (as I had threatened) since the silver painted aluminum wheels on my wife's Dodge Durango (which she rarely ever washes) are still perfect and look almost like new. $38k for T&C that would have probably gone for a new Sienna for my wife if they had only honored their vehicle warranty on my '06 Sienna.
p.s.: My Toyota dealeship told me (off the record) that they receive countless complaints about Mr. G, and Toyota corporate does nothing about it.
Thanks for the offer of the regional rep. I'm afraid if he didn't help you, he won't help me though. I contacted their Customer Experience Center in CA on two separate occassions and it appears that once a rep like Shawn G. makes a decision, they won't reverse it. Don't know if it would help you but I have posts from Sep 2006 from www.siennaclub.org forum that has at least 10 different posts besides myself that had this problem. This is the evidence I took to the dealership. In addition, townhall-talk.edmunds.com has at least 4 more. The problem is probably even more pervasive as some of these are burried in discussions about the Dunlop run flat tire problems (yes, I had these too - Toyota replaced one set that were problems for me at around 10,000 miles since they had numerous complaints and were taken to court by angry customers. I've replaced two of those replacements with under 10,000 miles on them - one with a bubble in the side and one that just split in the edge of the tread and sidewall on the highway. Both of these were at my cost since the dealership claimed there was no warranty because these were "warranty replacements," but that's another great Toyota customer support story). I think it is also more pervasive because in some of the strings I saw, people didn't realize their rims were corroding until they saw these posts and then went out and saw it on their vehicles. I have a good mind to seek arbitration per Toyota's warranty book. While I'd probably lose just like someone else that posted to the siennaclub site did, at least I'd have the satisfaction of knowing it cost them time and money to defend.
wow i was about to do a search on this while I was cleaning the 2006 sienna. I noticed it has gotten worst. Wow I guess this happens to most/all sienna owners?
Accoring to my original 2005 brochure, the rims in question are the 17 inch rims available on the XLE and XLE Limited models, and any of the AWD models.
I'd post a picture of mine with the corrosion, but can't figure out how to in this forum.
Same problem on my 2005 Sienna XLE AWD, and similar response from Toyota.
Please go here, add your comment, and post photos of your affected wheel(s). I'm trying to create "strength in numbers" and get Toyota to acknowledge and accept responsibility for this issue.
I have an '05 XLE AWD with 100,00 miles, 17 inch wheels and had the same problem with blistering paint. Took the tires off and had the rims sandblasted locally (inside and outside) for $30.00. Brought them home, primed and painted them with 'rattle-can' spray paint (Rustoleum). Real pleased with the results. Had four new Michelen HydroEdge tires installed. I've used this brand and model tires on my last three vehicles (two of them Sienna's) and gotten over 70,000 miles out of them before replacing.
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